Jesus On Extasy Talks New Single, Favourite Instruments And More

German industrial rockers Jesus On Extasy (JoE) have recently returned from a prolonged hiatus that lasted several years. Now signed to Metropolis Records and touting a new single entitled ‘Days Gone By’. singer and band founder Dorian Deveraux sat down with us to tell us more: 

Who is in Jesus On Extasy and what do they play?

My name is Dorian Deveraux. I’m the singer, founder and songwriter of Jesus On Extasy. I started the band together with Chai, my musical counterpart for many years, before he departed from the band earlier in 2024.

The band‘s line-up has always been more of a fluid concept since we started in 2005. A lot of musicians have come and gone, but I can confidently say that the band’s current iteration is probably the best I’ve ever witnessed.

With Melvin, we have maybe the best drummer in the area, Morris is a beast on the bass and plays everything you throw it him perfectly, while our guitar player Andy is evenly matching him on his instrument.

Everyone contributes their unique style and skillset to the band, especially in our live performances.

When did you begin songwriting?

I think my first tentative steps in that direction were in my teenage years, maybe at 15 or 16. I needed an outlet for my teenage angst and I’m pretty sure it was all pretty cringe. But, it was a start.

The first more concrete attempts at songwriting came a couple of years later. “Alone”, a song from our first album, was also the first complete song I’ve written and is from that time.

What is your earliest musical memory?

I’m pretty sure it’s the film music for “Star Wars” because that’s also one of my earliest childhood memories. I remember watching it with my parents and being completely blown away by this galaxy far away. And the music was what really stuck with me and probably contributed to my decision to become a film composer as well.

Your new single ‘Days Gone By’ is out now. What was the story/inspiration behind the song track?

It’s a song that was written during the height of the pandemic and kind of reflects the state of mind I was in during that time. It felt a bit like the world was ending and quite frankly I was spiralling a bit. I found comfort in the thought that everything is just temporary and better days are always ahead, even though we can’t see them on the horizon. So, I tried to express that musically and maybe help people manoeuvre difficult situations.

Where did you record the song and who produced it?

It was recorded and produced at my own studio, the zen garden, and then mixed and mastered by Tim Schuldt at 4CN studios in Bochum, Germany. Tim is one of the best engineers I know, especially for heavier, industrial type music.

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?

It’s the last song I recorded together with Chai, so it’s a special one. We spent a couple of days in my studio being completely shut off from the outside world and focused on the music entirely.

The single is accompanied by an official music video. What was the thought process behind the video and who directed it?

It was actually really simple. We needed something stylish that represents our new music as well as the new line-up, and at the same time it needed to be affordable and easy to realise, because when we shot it we didn’t have a label and no financial support. A lot of people volunteered to work for free, which I’ll be eternally grateful for. Right now, we’re already planning the next video shoot for a song called “Soul Crusher”, which will take place in December.

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

Knowing that I touched people with my music and maybe help them get through hard times would be a nice achievement. Another one would be not leaving the stage at all and just keep on playing on various stages all over the world as long as we can.

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

I absolutely love the keytar I play live, the Roland AX Edge. It’s such a great sounding and elegant instrument and most importantly seamlessly integrates into the rest of our set-up. Another great synth I started using live is the Arturia Minibrute, which has an incredibly brutal sound that really complements the harder songs. Microphone-wise, I’m actually quite basic. I like the Shure Beta 58 because it has a clear and distinct sound that is perfect for my vocals.

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

That’s a tough one. I live in a town called Essen which is part of the Ruhr area in western Germany. It’s a city full of contrasts, since it was once known for its strong coal mining industry, very industrial and blue collar. Traces of this are still visible today, but there’s also beautiful landscapes with forests and a lake and a highly diverse and very active cultural scene that is home to many great artists. Mille from Kreator is basically my neighbour, for example. So the five words I’d describe this city with would be : raw, industrial, creative, green, historic.

How do you look after your voice?

I’m working with a vocal coach and singing teacher to maintain and strengthen my voice. This is the most important thing for me as a singer since it’s my instrument. Also, I don’t smoke and only drink on very rare occasions, which also helps a lot. And I drink tons of tea.

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

As a film composer I’ve asked myself this question many times. There are so many great novels, so it’s really tough to pick one. The obvious choice would be “The Picture of Dorian Gray” I suppose, and – given it’s a modern take on the material – I would write a driving and atmospheric synth score for the film.

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

Besides the obvious ones like NIN, KMFDM or Orgy, you will also find traces of classical music and film music in our songs. Maybe not so much in terms of the instrumentation, but in the way the instruments are blended and playing off of each other, dramaturgy and stuff like that.

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2024/2025?

We are working on a tour, but it’s a bit early to talk about it since nothing is fixed yet.

Do you have any further music releases planned for 2024/2025?

The video we are shooting in December will be released next spring as a single. We will release a full-length album around the same time.

What makes Jesus On Extasy happy and what makes you unhappy?

There are few things that make me happy, but amongst them are being with my loved ones, spending time in my studio in total solitude and getting lost in the music, good food and playing music. On the other hand, there are way too many things, so let’s open this can of worms at another time….